Wheel



W. E. CRAWFORD.

WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED FEB. I2, I9I9.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

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WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12. 1919.

1,376,259. Patented Apr. 26, 1921 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES WILLIAM E. CRAWFORD, OF DEVILS LAKE, NORTH DAKOTA.

WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

Application filed February 12, 1919. Serial N0. 276,580.

T 0 all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. Cnxwronn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Devils Lake, in the county of Ramsey and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wheels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to wheels, and more particularly to a wheel which is specially adapted for use in connection with aeroplanes and for similar purposes.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide a wheel of the character stated of simple construction and operation which may be used as a propeller for an aeroplane.

A further object is to provide means associated with the wheel for optionally connecting the same to the propeller shaft of an aeroplane for rotation therewith.

Another object is to provide a wheel which may be mounted upon a fixed axle or shaft carried by the aeroplane, this wheel comprising an outer rotatable member an inner member for rotatably supporting the outer member, and means for frictionally engaging said outer member for retarding rotation thereof so as to exert a braking eflect upon the travel of the aeroplane when landin Further objects will appear from the detailed description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of the propelling and lifting shaft of an aeroplane showing a wheel constructed in accordance with my invention applied.

Fig. 2 is a central sectional view through the wheel.

Fig. 3 is a section through the inner rim of the wheel and associated parts taken at right angles to Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail section through the hub showing the operation of the spreader.

Fig. 5 is a detail of the spreader.

The wheel comprises an outer rim 1 and an inner rim 2 which are connected by a plurality of angularly disposed blades or vanes 3 radiating from the inner rim, these vanes being so arranged as to propel an aeroplane in connection with which the wheel is used as a propeller, when the wheel is rotated. A hub designated generally by 4 is mounted within the inner rim 2 in concentric spaced relation thereto, this hub being provided with a central annular flange 5 the peripheral surface of which forms a bearing surface for the inner surface of rim 2. This flange is provided with a central annular groove 6 which receives a plurality of sub stantially segmental gripping heads 7 carried by rods 8 which radiate from, and are slidable through, the hub 4. Suitable hub plates 9 are mounted at the opposite sides of flange 5 and fit snugly about the end portions of the hub, these plates being of greater diameter than the flange so as to extend across the sides of inner rim 2 and form retaining flanges for preventing displacement of hub 4 and flange 5 relative to rim 2. In this manner, the body portion of the wheel comprising the inner and outer rims 2 and 1, respectively, and the vanes 3, is supported for free rotation about the hub upon flange 5. By forcing rods 8 outwardly of the hub 4, the heads 7 are forced into tight frictional engagement with the inner surface of rim 2, thus locking the' body of the wheel to the hub. This hub may be rigidly secured to, or formed integrally with, a shaft 10 which may be secured against rotation, so as to constitute a supporting shaft or axle, or ma be rotated, as a propeller shaft. In the latter case, the wheel will constitute a propeller for propelling the aeroplane whereas, in the former case, it will provide a very efficient landing wheel whereby travel of the aeroplane after landing may be readily checked. A conical spreader 11 is inserted into the hub 4, which is of tubular construction, from the outer end thereof, this spreader being of such length as to engage the inner ends of rods 8 so as to force the same outwardly for the purpose above specified. As will be noted more clearly from Fig. 4, the inner ends of the rods are slightly beveled so as to fit snugly against the inclined surface of the spreader, these rods being held against rotary movement by the heads 7 which fit into groove 6. By this arrangement, accuracy of operation is insured, the rods being forced outwardly equally by the spreader as it is forced into the hub. A substantially U-shaped yoke 12 extends across the outer end of hub 4 diametrically thereof, the spreader 11 being secured to the end bar of this yoke at its outer or broader end. Arms 13 of the yoke extend inwardly in parallelism with shaft 10 through alined openings in hub plates 9 and flange 5. These arms are provided at their inner ends with openings which receive studs 14 carried by a collar 15 slidable on shaft 10 and in alinement diametrically thereof. This collar is provided with an annular shoulder 16 which fits through a slotted split collar 17 provided with a connecting link 18 pivotally secured thereto at one end, the other end of this link being pivoted to a hand lever 19 mounted adjacent a ratchet 20 carried by a standard 21 positioned adjacent the shaft, this lever being provided with a spring pressed detent cooperating with the rack to secure the lever in adjustment in the well known manner. By this means, the spreader may be readily moved into or out of operative position so as to optionally connect the body of the wheel to the hub for rotation therewith for the purpose specified.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings the wheel is shown as used for propelling or raising an aeroplane. In this figure, shaft 10 represents the propeller shaft of the aeroplane, this shaft being rotated from an engine of suitable type in the well known manner. Shaft 10 is provided with a bevel-gear 22 secured thereon which meshes with a bevelgear 23 secured on a vertically disposed lifting shaft 24 adjacent the upper end of which is mounted a wheel constructed in accordancewith my invention, it being understood that any suitable supporting means of known type may be provided for the two shafts. By this means, the two shafts 10 and 24 are simultaneously rotated at similar speeds, and either of the wheels or propellers may be connected to its shaft for rotation therewith by means of the spreader 11 and associated parts.

What I claim is:

In a wheel of the character described, a hub provided with an outer annular flange having a central annular groove, said hub being of tubular construction, a rim rotatably mounted about the hub flange, a plurality. of rods radiating from said hub and slidable through the same and through the flange, the inner end portions of said rods projecting into the interior of the hub, brake heads carried by the rods at the outer ends thereof and positioned in the groove of said flange, a-tapered spreader operable in the bore of the hub and movable into engagement with the inner ends of said rods for forcing the same outwardly so as to force said brake heads into tight frictional engagement with the inner surface of said rim and a yoke connected at its intermediate portion to the spreader, and having its end portions passing transversely through the hub and slidably received therein.

In testimonywhereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

I WILLIAM E. CRAWFORD.

Witnesses:

M. Y. Rowe, J. D. Rowe. 

